Steam-boiler feeder and indicator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J'. S. FORBES.

STEAMIBOILER FEEDER AND INDICATOR. -No.-418,607.

Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

N. PETERS. Pmwumo n m wmin mh uvc.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Shee t 2.

J. S. FORBES; STEAM BOIEEE FEEDER N INDICATOR.

Patented Dec, 31, 188 9.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

N. FEI'ERS Phuln-Lilhographer Wuhmglnm n c UNITED STATES f PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN SIMS FORBES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-BOILER FEEDER AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 418,607, datedDecember 31, 1889. Application filed Sleptember 12, 1888. Serial No.285,180. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SIMs FORBES, of the city of Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Steam-Boiler Feeders and Indicators; and Ido hereby. declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specificatiom'in which- Figure 1 is a verticalcentral section of a water-level indicator constructed according to theprinciples of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, the linea; w indicating the section-plane of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of one of the valves shown in Fig. 1, the section being on theline y y of that figure. Fig. t is a vertical section on the line 2 z ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the float F and itsinclosing-frame, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each.

In the drawings, D represents a drum or chamber, which is adapted to beconnected to 'a steam-boiler at the top and bottom by means ofconnecting-pipes I, and which is preferably fitted with a water-gagetube 0, connected with the drum by connections 0, Figs. 1 and 2. Thedrum D is preferably provided with several gage-cocks G, and its upperend is enlarged, as shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of convenientlyaccommodating themechanism of the apparatus, and is fitted with acovering-cap L, on the top of which is mounted a cylinder 0. Thiscylinder communicates at its ends with the drum through passages U U,and contains a plunger P, having at each end a shoulder or piston Z Z,these pistons being provided with the usual packingrooves R R.

W is a whistle, which is connected with the cylinder 0, so as to be incommunication therewith when the plunger P is at either end of itsstroke.

K is a rod, which projects from one end of the plunger, and which has atits end a couple'r-joint J, by which it may be. attached to thevalvewhich governs a feed-pump or injector, and K is a rod which projectsfrdm theother end of the plunger, and which has at its end a pointer orarrow A. The rods K the heads or caps Q Q of the cylinder. The

passages U U, which lead from the cylinder 0 to the drum, are providedwith hollow valve-casings V V, which are controlled by valves T T. Theconstruction of the valves is shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. 7

Referring to the casing V, T is the valve, which is preferably providedwith a ground or conical point, and is pivotally mounted by a pin N in ahole or slot in the arm of a lever X This lever is pivoted by a pin M ina slot in the lower end of the casing V, and is provided with a weightX, which tends to hold the valve to its seat in the orifice of thecasing.

Bis an arm or lever which projects from the Weight X within the enlargedportion of the drum D. V

The valve-casing V is provided with a similar valve T, having a weightX, projecting arm B, and pivot M; but in this valve the arm B projectsfrom the inner end of the lever X and not from the weighted end, so thatwhereas the valve T is unseated by raising its lever B, the valve T isunseated by depressing its lever B. The motions of these leversnecessary to operate the valves are effected by a float F, which iswithin the drum D, and is provided with an upwardly-extending cage H.The arms of the lever B extend through the uprights of the cage and thelever B is above, but in the path of vertical movement of the cage. Thefunction of this cage is to afford means for operating the levers, andit may therefore be changed in form, the only essential being that thefloat be provided with devices for engaging and moving the levers,Without rigid connection therewith.

At the bottom of the drum D, I prefer to have a plug Y, which may beopened to discharge mud or sediment deposited in the drum from thewater.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: By reasonof the connectionof the drum with the boiler, the water stands at the same level in both,and any change in level of the Water produces a corresponding rise orfall of the float F and its cage H. Suppose that the water in the boilerfalls to an improper ex- I tent. In the consequent downward motion ofthe float it moves freely until the top wires of the cage H engage thelever B, when the weight of the float overcomes the gravity of thecounter-weight X and depresses thelever so as to unseat the valve T.This affords an Open passage through the opening U for steam, whichascends therethrough into the cylinder 0 to the clearance-space at theright of the piston Z, and forces the plunger P through the cylinder tothe right, until the piston Z passes the port of the whistle W. Theeffect of this is twofold. It opens the whistle-port, and the steamentering it sounds the whistle and indicates to the engineer the fall ofwater, and the movement of the pistonstem K opens the valve of theinjector and causes the latter to discharge water into the boiler. lVhena sufficient quantity of water has been introduced, the consequentelevation of the float disengages the top of the cage H from the leverB, the weight X closes the valve T automatically, and by thus cuttingoff the entrance of steam to the cylinder 0 stops the sounding of thewhistle, and when the normal quantity of water has been injected intothe boiler the engineer may close the injector valve, and thus restorethe plunger P into the position shown in Fig. 1. If, however, frominattention or otherwise, the engineer should neglect to shut theinjector-valve the rise of water in the boiler will elevate the float F,so that the top of the cage H will raise the lever B, thus unseating thevalve T and permitting steam to enter the cylinder 0 to the left of thepiston Z. This forces the plunger P to the right into the position shownin Fig.1, thus automatically closing the injector-valve. It also opensthe whistle-port, and the whistle will continue to blow until thewater-level is lowered either by the engineer or by naturalvaporization. At each sound of the whistle the position of the plungeris shown by the pointer A, and the engineer may therefore know at aglance whether the alarm is sounding for high or for low water. Thepointeris therefore a convenient accessory to the apparatus; but it maybe omitted without impairing the action of the other parts.

If it be desired that the apparatus be used simply for the purpose ofsounding an alarm and not as an automatic feed-water regulator, theplunger P and its accessory parts maybe omitted, in which case the part0 will serve merely asa communicating channel between the passages U Uand the whistle V.

The many advantages of my improvement will be apparent to those skilledin the art who may read this specification or who may make use of theapparatus. It is simple and cheap in its construction, very reliable inits action, and is not apt to leak steam or to get out of order. Thecylinder 0, being normally out off from the drum D by the valves T T, isnot under ordinary conditions filled with live steam, and thestuffing-boxes of the stems not be made so tight of the plunger P needfrictional resistance as to exert too much against motion thereof.

I claim 1. The combination of a drum or chamber adapted to be connectedwith a boiler, and provided with a steam-actuated alarm-such as awhistle-valves which control the (30111- munication between the drum andwhistle, a float situate within the drum, and levers projecting fromsaid valves into the path of motion of the float, said levers being soarranged relatively to the float that one thereof shall be directlyengaged and opened thereby on the rise of the float, and the otherengaged and opened on the fall thereof, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

2. The combination, with the valve-seat of the steam-passage and thefloat, of a valve which is mounted on a pivoted stem, the stem of thevalve being arranged to be engaged by the float, and a counter-weight onsaid pivot-ed stem, which tends to seat the valve, substantially as andfor the purposes described. I I

3. The combination of the steam-boiler, a chamber D, connected therewithby at least two passages, which afford constantly open communicationbetween the boiler and said chamber, one of said passagesleading fromsaid boiler below the normal water-level therein, and the other leadingtherefrom above said water-leveha cylinder 0, a plunger or piston withinthe cylinder, having a stem adapted to be connected with an injector orpump valve, steam-passages leading to the opposite ends of the cylinder,valves controlling the same and so arranged relatively to the float thatone of said valves shall be opened by the rise of the float and theother opened by descent thereof to efiect motion of the plunger orpiston in reverse directions, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

4. The combination of the float, a cylinder 0, a plunger or pistonwithin the cylinder, having a stem which is adapted to be connected withan injector or pump valve, steampassages leading to the opposite ends ofthe cylinder, valves controlling the same and so arranged relatively tothe float as to be opened by motion thereof, one passage being opened byrise of the float and the other by the fall thereof, and asteam-actuated alarm-such as a whistle-having a connection with thecylinder, which is controlled by motion of the plunger or piston,substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination, with the float and the pivoted valves havingprojectingstems or le vers, of a cage on the float, one of said stems orlevers extending within the cage and the other arranged outside thesame, substantially as and for the purposes described.

"6. The combination of the float and its inclosing-chamber, valvescontrolling passages leading from said chamber, and pivoted 1e- Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set I0 Vers projecting from the valvesinto the path my hand this 31st day of August, A. D. 1888.

of the float, one valve being on the outer side 7 V of the pivot of itslever and the other valve J N O. SIMS FORBES. being between the pivotand the end of the lever, Wherebyone valve may be opened by Witnesses:

rise of its lever, and the other opened by de- JNO. C. SIMS, J r.,

pression of its lever, substantially as and for WM. R. OUSHMAN.

the purposes described.

